When talking about some of the toughest and “dirtiest” teams in NBA history, the Detroit Pistons of the late 1980s/early 1990s come to mind first. Better known as the Bad Boys, this squad presented a different brand of basketball, focused on roughing up your opponents on the defensive end by any means necessary.
It didn’t win them many fans or friends outside of Detroit, including other NBA players, as the head of the snake, Bill Laimbeer, often found himself on the receiving end of insults, criticism, and even punches. However, it was pretty well deserved as the center would hit first and with no remorse.
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One of the more iconic flagrant fouls occurred in the 1987 playoffs against the Boston Celtics, when Laimbeer threw Larry Bird to the ground, resulting in a major scuffle. After the game, Larry didn’t mince words about Bill’s style of play.
He had to do what he had to do; I understand that. Rick Mahorn, he’d hit you, and you know you were going to get hit. But he didn’t try to maim you. Bill tried to hurt you,” Bird explained.
MJ’s point of view
As the moment gained a lot of traction, the Association reacted to the hard foul — one of the reactions came from then-still a rising superstar, Michael Jordan. The Chicago Bulls shooting guard condemned Laimbeer’s actions and sided with Bird, as it was apparent that such basketball tactics could result in severe damage to the opposing player.
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“I thought it [Laimbeer’s foul] was a lot more flagrant than it should be. I understand you don’t let a player get an easy layup, but you don’t do a flagrant foul where the individual might be injured for the rest of their lives,” Jordan shared
However, Michael was also not completely biased toward Larry, as the fact that the Celtics star threw a ball at Laimbeer’s head after the scuffle was something he should have resisted doing.
“That’s more or less frustration coming out of Larry, and he shouldn’t have done that,” Michael added.
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Michael would learn all about the Bad Boys
Before Jordan and the Bulls rose to prominence, the main rivalry in the East was between the Celtics and the Pistons. Aside from Bird and Laimbeer, figures such as Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Rick Mahorn, and many others featured in some iconic and heated battles.
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However, after the Celtics’ window passed and the Bulls became the Pistons’ newest rival, it was MJ’s turn to bear the brunt of the Bad Boys’ beating. By following the legendary “Jordan Rules,” Detroit would consistently bounce Chicago out of the playoffs and prevent MJ from winning it all during the early part of his career.
During that period, Michal grew to hate Bill and the rest of the Pistons, maybe even more than Larry did, but that would all come to a halt with MJ bulking up and finally overcoming the hump in 1991. With a dominant sweep, Michael put the Bad Boys to bed and became the undisputed king of the NBA, winning his first of six championships in the decade.
As for Laimbeer, while he will always be a two-time champion and quality player, he is still primarily remembered and revered as one of the dirtiest and most hated individuals the Association has ever had.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.